Tried to satisfy a few requests... Hope it's acceptable, Elven Fate... I didn't want to write the Ithilien part because... it's not really important to the story. And if you want more... passion, check out my ff story, listed on my profile:) I tried with this one... but it disgusts me. Sorry. You can always email me, you know!

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Later that evening, the elves sat grouped around the center of the largest garden, some singing, some talking. Elizabette sat alone, listening, before drawing out her silver flute. She began to play a melody of such pure sweetness that many looked around.

Elizabette ended the melody with a clear trilling vibrato and looked up. She glanced around, slipping the flute back into her pocket. She had not intended to draw so much attention.

A hint of movement caught her eye, and she saw Legolas and Gimli making their way toward her up a side path. Gimli was grumbling over something, and Elizabette sat still to catch the words.

"...you elves like music too much, anyhow, I don't see how you can be so enraptured..."

Elizabette grinned, turning away. She waited for their footsteps to become loud behind her before turning.

Gimli surveyed her. "I thought elves were supposed to be able to hear things a long way off- the hoofbeats of horses and such. Here we find one who did not hear us approach."

Elizabette's attempt to hide her laugh was valiant, if unsuccessful. "I heard you," she replied. "You, at least, Gimli. The heavy tread of dwarf boots will sound heavier than that of light Elven-slippers."

Legolas grinned. "You should replace your boots with Elven- shoes, Gimli," he suggested.

Gimli snorted, causing one or two of the other elves to look around in alarm. "A fine spectacle I'd make, tiptoeing around in those little shoes your kind wear! I'd fall on my face, most likely."

With hardly a pause, he switched back to an earlier subject. "Music," he said, shaking his head, "you elves like it far too much, after all, it won't make you wealthy or anything of the sort... not like gold.

"Now, I've nothing against a pretty song now and again," he said, seeing Elizabette raise her eyebrows, "that music you just played there was quite unusual, m'lady. But in general, music won't get you anywhere."

With a laughing glance at one another, Elizabette and Legolas burst into simultaneous peals of mirth.

Gimli continued in the same vein, ignoring the amusement of his audience. "Laughter, also. Elves laugh entirely too much. Life is not a reign of frivolity, you know."

Elizabette managed to stop laughing. "Nor is it a vale of tears," she replied.

"Tears can be happy," Legolas put in.

Feláren came over and sat beside Elizabette, clearly curious about the conversation. Elizabette spoke to her for a moment, and when she turned back to the conversation between Legolas and Gimli, Legolas was saying,

"-seen the Lady Galadriel?"

Gimli shrugged his broad shoulders. "Once or twice, around here," he said. Quickly changing the subject, he said, "These flowers are fair enough," gesturing at the varied blooms scattered around them. "Valinor is a nice place," he said. "Not the sort of thing you're used to, is it, my friend? After that gloomy place you called home?"

Both Legolas and Feláren grinned. They had been born in Mirkwood and loved it, for all its dimness. Elizabette, however, was more inclined to agree with Gimli.

After a time she stood to slip away to her room. Legolas caught her eye and sent her a questioning glance. She nodded slightly, dropping her eyes. He smiled swiftly and turned back to the conversation.

She slipped off into her own room and curled up on the bed with a book. She was surprised by a light tap on the door half an hour later.

"Come in," she said.

Legolas slipped in. She closed the book and sat up.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes."

Legolas sat beside her on the bed, an arm around her, letting her lean her head on his shoulder. They were silent for a while, each immersed in their own thoughts. Then Legolas spoke.

"Do you care for me, Elizabette?"

Elizabette looked around, startled. "Of course," she said. "I've loved you since I first met you, but I didn't know it until you showed me."

"Then will you wed with me?"

His quick question surprised her slightly, but she had the grace not to show it. She knew that Legolas was rushing because he was nervous, though his face was impassive and she could read no expression in his eyes.

Did she love him? Of course, she had told him so a moment before. Had she any reasons not to marry him?

They were on Valinor now. They were safe. Had she any reasons to refuse?

Legolas waited calmly for her answer. His composure was complete; for a moment she believed that he did not care what her answer might be.

"Yes, Legolas, I will."

The joy on his face then told her quite clearly that his composure before had been merely a mask over his emotions. His blue eyes danced, and his smile grew. She flung herself into his arms and he held her tightly, and they could feel each other's heartbeats.

Slowly she drew back. She lifted her face hopefully to his and he allowed his mouth to sink down on hers, his lips gentle but his mouth hungry. Elizabette pressed into him, an arm sliding almost lazily around his neck.

After a time Legolas rose and held out a hand. She took it and he pulled her up. Legolas caught up his cloak from the table where he had laid it.

"We can sleep here, if you like," Elizabette suggested.

Legolas appraised the room. He nodded. "All right. I'll return in an hour or so."

Elizabette smiled and stepped over to the window as he closed the door.

She was curled up on her bed, reading, when he tapped lightly on the door later.

"Legolas? Come in."

He opened the door and slipped in, closing it behind him. He wore his green cloak over his sleeping clothes. She looked up and smiled, closing the book.

It was not late, but both were tired, and they hastened into bed together. She kissed his cheek, and they slipped into sleep.

---

In the morning Elizabette woke when the early morning light just began to filter into the room. Legolas was still asleep, she thought, but she could not be entirely certain.

She shifted and looked out of the window. The light was still of the early morning quality, steely blue and icy cold, freezing time until the birds broke the chilly silence. Her window looked out to the garden, and she could see no sign of movement around the grassy paths and bowers of flowers.

She slid back down into the warm bed and curled up beside him. Legolas' eyelids flickered and he closed his eyes briefly before turning to look at her.

He rolled over to face her. "Mán' arinya," (Good morning) he said softly.

She returned the greeting, commenting, "I can never tell if you are asleep or awake."

He smiled lazily. "I've been asleep. But it's still early, is it not?"

She nodded. "No one seems to be awake." She paused briefly. "Nainëwen will be watching to see you leave the room," she added.

Legolas shrugged. "She can't watch forever. And I doubt she's awake yet."

"You'd better go before she wakes."

He nodded. "I'll go now."

She slipped out of bed after him. She watched him put on his shoes and wrap his cloak around his shoulders. He paused before leaving to embrace her and kiss her softly. "I'll see you at breakfast," he whispered, before slipping out of the room.

Elizabette dressed quickly and went to the dining hall. Feláren was there, but a quick glance told her that Elrond was not present.

She slipped into the seat beside Feláren. "Mán' arin," she greeted her friend.

Feláren smiled. "You seem happy this morning," she said.

Elizabette nodded. Tossing Feláren a half- smile, she replied simply, "I am."

Feláren raised her eyebrows. "Why?" she asked with interest.

Elizabette laughed aloud. "I'll tell you later," she said.

At that moment Legolas stepped into the hall. He glanced around briefly before taking the seat beside Elizabette. "Mán' arin," he greeted them.

Legolas glanced around the hall again before serving himself. "Have you seen Nainëwen?"

Elizabette answered, though the question was directed at both of them. "No. I doubt she would wake early. Have you seen her, Feláren?"

A slight frown crossed Feláren's face as she shook her head. Elizabette sensed her piecing together the puzzle: Elizabette was happy. Legolas rarely sat with her for the morning meal. He had inquired about Nainëwen, who was known for spying on them.

Elizabette kept her eyes on her food, trying not to laugh out loud.

Feláren breathed in her ear, "Are you..."

"Betrothed?" Elizabette answered, just as quietly. "Yes."

Feláren grinned. "Since when?"

"Last evening," Elizabette replied softly.

"Have you announced it yet?" Feláren asked of both of them.

Legolas replied, "No."

"Congratulations," Feláren said.

Half an hour later, Legolas and Elizabette walked down the path in the garden. They approached Gimli the Dwarf, who was examining a large golden flower.

As they reached the dwarf, Elizabette was saying, "And I haven't seen Elrond anywhere..." She broke off as Gimli looked up.

"Good day," he said.

"Mána arya," Legolas returned, causing the dwarf to snort.

Gimli looked down at the flower again. "So fine that it could almost be made of gold," he commented.

Legolas grinned and perched on the edge of the stone fountain, but Elizabette stopped dead as she heard hoofbeats on the garden paths. At almost the same moment, a voice in her mind spoke,

Elizabette. I found Elrond. Would you care to go on a ride?

I'd love to.

I'm coming.

Legolas showed no sign that he had heard the sounds, but she did not doubt for a moment that he had. It was only just before the chestnut horse rounded the curve in the grassy paths that Gimli heard the hooves.

"That is a horse!" he exclaimed.

Elizabette tried not to snicker. "Apparently," she replied.

Súláríl came up to her. She touched his finely chiseled face. Hello, Súláríl.

"Is that not one of the horses that came on the ship?" Gimli demanded, realizing.

Elizabette nodded. "He's mine."

I am not yours!

As Gimli understands the meaning of 'mine', you are.

The chestnut snorted and Elizabette laughed. Gimli frowned at her briefly blank face. "What's wrong with you?"

Elizabette only laughed again. "You wouldn't understand," she replied. She turned to Legolas. "Súláríl says he's found Elrond-"

I have!

"-and I shall go to see him."

Legolas nodded. "See you later, then," he said, kissing her brow.

Elizabette smiled, and, grasping a few long strands of mane, vaulted onto Súláríl's reddish back. She waved her hand briefly, eyes dancing, and she and Súláríl trotted away.

Gimli frowned suspiciously. "What is happening?" he demanded.

Legolas grinned. "Elizabette is going to see Elrond," he replied. "As she just said."

Gimli frowned again. "No. I meant, what is happening, with you? Why are you so happy? Why does she want to see Elrond, anyway? What has she to do with him?" After a pause, he added, "Why did she tell me I would not understand?"

Legolas laughed aloud at that. "You like to understand," he replied. Just to tease the dwarf, he called in his mind, Silrocca!

Yes, cundunya?

I'm not a prince anymore. Don't call me that.

Why not? You may have renounced your title, but you are still a prince by birth.

Fine.

What did you want?

Can you come here?

So you can make sport of Gimli? I think not.

I won't tease him. I just want to show him how we communicate.

There was a pause, as he felt her examine his thoughts to consider his intentions. Then she replied, I'm coming.

"Legolas! You have done it also!"

"Done what?" Legolas inquired innocently.

"You've made your face go blank. Why? Don't tell me I won't understand."

Pretending to consider, Legolas paused. When Gimli started to look annoyed, he replied, "It is how I speak to my horse, Silrocca. We communicate through our minds."

Gimli looked skeptical, but Legolas added, "I called her. She is coming. You will see." He could already hear the hoofbeats.

Several minutes later, Silrocca stood in front of them. Her nostrils flared, but there were no other signs that she had cantered all the way there.

Did you knock anyone over?

No. Several elves were quite disturbed, however, she replied with a distinct flash of amusement.

"Here she is," he said to Gimli, who still looked half disbelieving. "All elves speak to their horses in this manner." With a grin, he added, "Would you like to ride?"

The dwarf shuddered quite visibly. "No, thank you! there is no need to go anywhere."

Silrocca whinnied, causing Gimli to jump into the air.

You'll disturb everyone you haven't run over already, Legolas chided gently. In answer, she nuzzled his hands.

Legolas seated himself on a wooden bench. Silrocca asked, Can I stay here?

If you want to. He was slightly surprised. Usually she preferred the open hills to the gardens.

Gimli took a cookie out of his pocket and began to eat as the gray mare carefully lay down in the long grass. Keep your mind open, she warned him. I can tell what Elizabette is saying to Elrond. It might be interesting.

Isn't that spying?

No. Súláríl can close anything he doesn't want us to know.

Have they begun talking yet?

No. They are still riding.

Gimli said to the elf, "What did she say to you?"

"She asked me to keep my mind open."

"Open?"

"Not to block her comments," he explained.

"Why?"

"Silrocca is listening to Elizabette's thoughts," he replied. "She will tell me when Elizabette and Elrond are talking."

The dwarf frowned. "Where did she come from, anyway? The elf. Is she from Mirkwood?"

"No," Legolas replied.

"I thought not. She appears different. But I believed that everyone on that last ship was from Mirkwood."

Legolas nodded. "Most of us were."

Gimli was beginning to get exasperated. "Where is she from then?"

"That you would have to ask her," the prince said. "She might not want me to tell you."

Gimli frowned but didn't comment. "She seems a nice elf, as elves go," he said.

Legolas nodded, choosing to ignore the latter part of the comment. "She is."

He received another suspicious glance for that. "How did you two meet then?"

Legolas raised his eyebrows. "We did not 'meet', exactly. It was in a land far off. We didn't know each other very well then. Soon, we returned to Mirkwood, where Elizabette began to solve a problem and soothe many of our people. But the problem could not be solved there and we were sent on a mission by Elrond to destroy its source. So we did. It was during that mission that we really began to know each other. Then we returned to the palace to find that though the root of the problem was solved, many losses had occurred and my father was dead. Many more things happened, and we decided to come here." He paused to consider. "Elizabette never liked Mirkwood. I think that she is inclined to agree with you on that subject." He tried not to laugh out loud at the dwarf's obvious confusion and annoyance.

Gimli snorted. "Can't you give me any more details?"

"No."

"I suppose I shall have to ask her when she returns, then."

Legolas was about to reply when Silrocca lifted her head and said, Súláríl says that Elizabette wants to know what you are so amused about. She read your amusement through Súláríl, who read it through me.

"Why did you send it to him?" Legolas asked her aloud. She snorted.

Súláríl always knows what I am feeling or thinking, and I was listening to your conversation. What should I tell him?

"Say that Gimli desires knowledge of her background," Legolas replied, grinning.

He felt her relay the message. In a moment she said, They have reached Elrond.

"Why did she want to see Elrond?" Gimli demanded.

He raised his eyebrows. "Last evening she received information through an unreliable source that Elrond wished to see her. She does not know if it is true."

Gimli snorted. "Why should it not be?"

"The source could have desired only to speak with her," Legolas replied carefully. "She could have wished only to have an excuse to do so."

Gimli began to reply, but Legolas felt a burst of surprised amusement through Silrocca. Instantly he knew that it was Elizabette's emotion.

What is it? he asked Silrocca.

I don't know. Súláríl is blocking it.

A moment later, another burst of emotion, this time tinged with embarrassment.

They're letting it through, Silrocca said, but I can't tell what they're saying.

They'll be back soon, he said.

And soon Elizabette was back. She rode on Súláríl, and Elrond walked beside her. Elizabette slid frown the horse's back and went to sit beside Legolas while Súláríl nuzzled his mother. Elrond smiled at the two of them sitting there, and Gimli frowned suspiciously.

"You have my blessing," Elrond said to them.

Both smiled. "Thank you," said Legolas.

"You hadn't announced it yet?"

Elizabette shook her head. "We were going to ask you to announce it," she replied.

Elrond smiled again. "Then I shall," he said, and walked down the path.

Gimli frowned again. "What's happening?" he demanded. "Blessings for what?"

Both elves only smiled.

Gimli continued to puzzle. Finally Elizabette laughed aloud. "Gimli," she said. "I shall give you a hint. Elrond is my great- uncle."

Gimli gaped at her. "Your great uncle?" Then he seemed to get the message. "Are you going to be married?" he demanded, looking from one to the other.

Both nodded. Gimli continued to gape. Elizabette and Legolas struggled not to laugh.

Finally Gimli collected himself. "Good wishes, I suppose," he grunted, and walked away.

Later that evening Elizabette and Legolas were again in the garden. Elrond had announced the betrothal.

Legolas glanced questioningly into her eyes. "Where are you going to sleep tonight?" he whispered.

She shook her head, but he saw wistful desire cross her face, and knew that his own expression matched hers. "I can't," she whispered back. "Elrond said I should be careful."

He nodded, drawing her close. She lifted her head to touch her lips to his.

---

The wedding was held a month later. The ceremony flashed by for Elizabette. That evening, after much feasting and merrymaking, Elizabette and Legolas left the festivities and went to their new chamber. Elizabette stood at the window, looking at the moon. Legolas came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"A nice view, is it not?" he asked.

She nodded. "I can see the stone fountain," she said after a moment of staring down the dim paths.

Legolas smiled suddenly. "Nainëwen's apology was surprising," he said. "I did not expect her to come at all."

Elizabette lifted her head. "Neither did I," she replied. "I couldn't blame her for being angry, though."

Legolas laughed softly at that. "I think she'll try to be civil now," he said.

"Hopefully," she replied.

Elizabette slid into bed beside him. He drew his arms around her, pulling her close. She could feel his warmth, and he hers. He kissed her, pressing against her, and she responded, her arms around him, her lips against his.

"Ni mertyë," (I missed you) she whispered to him when he drew back.

"Ar ni tyë," (And you) he replied, his arm around her.

---

Several months later, Legolas noticed that Elizabette was sometimes withdrawn, speaking little. He made a point of questioning her during one of these moments.

"What is wrong, Elizabette?" he asked.

She lifted her head. "Nothing is wrong."

"Then why are you withdrawn these days?"

She lifted her head, and her eyes, clear gray as always, danced with both pleasure and something else- something disquieting. Legolas, considering for a moment, decided that it was faint nervousness.

"What is it?"

"I- I think I'm- with child."

That, for certain, was not the answer he expected, but it pleased him more than anything. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She smiled. "I'm sure."

He embraced her joyously; she tilted her face to press her lips against his. "When?" he asked. "Do you know?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm not sure."

The days turned into weeks; the weeks blended into months; the months passed quickly. Life on Valinor was a blur of joy; but some magic in the land mingled the days so that one could not remember how long they had been there. It seemed that the whole world was happy; no one sorrowed, no one cried any tears but those of happiness. It was the pure virtue in the clear air.

Ten months after the wedding, a child was born to Elizabette. His curls, the color of Legolas' hair, were soft as silk, and his cheeks round and rosy, but his most startling feature was his eyes. Not blue, like Legolas', nor gray, like Elizabette's, but a blend of the two, a clear blue- gray, the color of the sea.

He was Elizabette's pride. She and Legolas named him Ëarannwë, Gift of the Sea. His curly hair, unusual for elves, was surprising to most, and he was admired by everyone. Elizabette became accustomed to her new life, and felt that she was truly ready to settle into the endless circles of her world. Her happiness was unbroken by nothing.

-

That's all. Typically, I still have more material on my computer, but I'm not inclined to post it... and there you are. Thanks to everyone who's read, reviewed, recommended, or put me on their author alerts.

Thanks to everyone, and I guess this is a final goodbye...